Photos: Edmonton Oilers take on Phoenix Coyotes (Jan. 24, 2014)

Edmonton's goalie Ilya Bryzgalov (80) keeps his eye on Phoenix's Mikkel Boedker (89) during the first period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Edmonton's goalie Ilya Bryzgalov (80) stops Phoenix's Lauri Korpikoski (28) during the first period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Edmonton's Nail Yakupov (64) is harassed by Phoenix's David Schlemko (6) during the first period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Edmonton's goalie Ilya Bryzgalov (80) stops Phoenix's Shane Doan (19) during the first period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Edmonton's Sam Gagner (89) is sandwiched into the boards between Phoenix's Antoine Vermette (50), left, and Tim Kennedy (34), right, during the first period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Edmonton's goalie Ilya Bryzgalov (80) can't stop Phoenix's Mikkel Boedker (89) from scoring during the first period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

The Oilers celebrate Matt Hendricks' (23) goal during the second period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Edmonton's goalie Ilya Bryzgalov (80) denies Phoenix's Martin Hanzal (11) during the second period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Edmonton's Jeff Petry (2) engages in fisticuffs with Phoenix's Martin Hanzal (11) during the second period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Edmonton's goalie Ilya Bryzgalov (80) stops Phoenix's David Moss (18) during the second period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Edmonton's Ryan Smyth (94) looks on as David Perron (57), not pictured, scores on Phoenix's goalie Mike Smith (41) during the third period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. The Coyotes won 4-3. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

The Oilers celebrate David Perron's (57) goal during the third period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. The Coyotes won 4-3. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Edmonton's Anton Belov (77) is hit by Phoenix's Rob Klinkhammer (36), left, and Kyle Chipchura (24) during the third period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. The Coyotes won 4-3. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Edmonton's Jordan Eberle (14) hits Phoenix's Oliver Ekman-Larsson (23) during the third period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. The Coyotes won 4-3. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Edmonton's _____ Phoenix's _____ during the third period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. The Coyotes won 4-3. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun

Phoenix's Mike Ribeiro (63), left, and Derek Morris (53) celebrate Ribeiro's goal during the second period of the Edmonton Oilers' NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Friday, Jan. 24, 2014. Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

Topics

The Coyotes looked home and cooled after taking a 4-0 lead against the Edmonton Oilers Friday at Rexall Place, but soon found themselves in full hang-on mode clinging to a one-goal lead.

They were eventually able to fend off the Oilers in a 4-3 win.

“Once the score got up 4-0, we made a couple of mistakes, we let them back in the game and made it tight,” said Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett. “I thought we played well for 30 minutes and for the next 30 minutes we hung on.”

Mike Smith, who was having a relatively easy night through the first period and a half, needed to be big as the Oilers inched their way back in the contest. The Coyotes goaltender finished with 36 saves on the night, his best coming in the third period.

Smith made a big save on Taylor Hall late in the game to keep the Oilers from tying the contest.

“They kept coming and we let them back into it,” said Coyotes captain Shane Doan. “They have a good team that can score goals.”

Even after Matt Hendricks cut into the lead midway through the second period, the Coyotes were still in control of the contest.

The went into the third period with a comfortable 4-1 lead, but a quick goal by David Perron and another by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins made for a wild finish.

“It’s not that we took our foot of the gas, it’s the puck mistakes, the penalties, those kind of things,” Tippett said. “Things that real good teams don’t do and those are still things that are a work in progress for our group.”

Despite the close call, the Coyotes were content with winning the game, which snapped a two-game losing skid. They had come into the contest having lost six of their previous eight.

“We talked about after the first that they had the firepower to come back in the game,” said Coyotes winger Radim Vrbata. “They almost did. We have to learn from that. Even at 4-0 the game is not over you have to play until the end.”

Phoenix Coyotes almost fritter away 4-0 lead over Edmonton Oilers

The Coyotes looked home and cooled after taking a 4-0 lead against the Edmonton Oilers Friday at Rexall Place, but soon found themselves in full hang-on mode clinging to a one-goal lead.

They were eventually able to fend off the Oilers in a 4-3 win.

“Once the score got up 4-0, we made a couple of mistakes, we let them back in the game and made it tight,” said Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett. “I thought we played well for 30 minutes and for the next 30 minutes we hung on.”

Mike Smith, who was having a relatively easy night through the first period and a half, needed to be big as the Oilers inched their way back in the contest. The Coyotes goaltender finished with 36 saves on the night, his best coming in the third period.

Smith made a big save on Taylor Hall late in the game to keep the Oilers from tying the contest.

“They kept coming and we let them back into it,” said Coyotes captain Shane Doan. “They